Pak envoy to US skips NAB hearing in Rs 150 mn transaction case

Pakistan ambassador to the United States, Ali Jahangir Siddiqui, skipped appearing before a National Accountability Bureau (NAB) investigation team in Lahore on Friday.

On October 19, NAB had summoned Siddiqui in connection with a transaction of Rs 150 million between him and the former principal secretary to the prime minister, Fawad Hasan Fawad, before the former's appointment as the ambassador to the US.

During the interrogation, Fawad is reported to have claimed that he had received Rs 150 million as a 'loan' from Siddiqui.

"Neither Siddiqui turned up nor his lawyer appeared before NAB on Friday," an official of NAB said.

The institution had termed Siddiqui's reply in the case of stocks manipulation "unsatisfactory".

Siddiqui, infamous for huge corruption, is also involved in other corruption cases and it is the likelihood that the NAB would now issue another summon following the arrest warrants if he failed to appear before the court. He is allegedly named in 19 inquiries pertaining to corruption, money laundering and violation of State Bank of Pakistan's rules.

The Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf had criticised former prime minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi for appointing Siddiqui at the post, citing nepotism.